Rygsækrejsen 2015-2016: Orkhon waterfall

onsdag den 8. juli 2015

Orkhon waterfall walk and Nadaam festival

This morning was beautiful. Blue sky and enjoying a nice breakfast before doing a short walk to the waterfall. Not like being at Iguasu but just a nice 20 meter high waterfall. Walked around it for a while before Mikkel headed back to the truck. Malene walked a bit up the river and enjoyed the yaks, horses and herdsmen trying to get the animals across the river. Her favourite spot so far in Mongolia.

We left for the next camp at around 11 but just before the lunch stop we came across the local festival – Nadaam. In the middle of nowhere – next to the river we stumbled across a combined market and horse riding festival. So we decided to have our lunch there giving us time to have a look at the market and the people there.

Nadaam goes on for a couple of days, of course with Ulaanbaatar being the biggest festival place but it also takes place in many small villages. The competitions are wrestling, archery and horse race. With some good money prices. We were all eager to see some of Nadaam but it's not easy to plan were to go and see the competitions - other than in UB, where we weren't at that time - because they don't really plan it until the very last day. But somehow all the Mongolians figure out where it is and show up - with horses, bow and arrows and so on on the right place and time.

It was a hot afternoon so Malene and some of the others decided to head for the river for a swim before heading for our camp. First attempt was to try to camp next to the entrance to the temple walk. No success – so we had to head back to the nearest slope where the truck managed to make it up. Nice view over the valley and lots of space to set up tents.

When the dinner was ready we were surprised by a herd of goats. Not 10 or 20 – closer to 100 walking through our camp doing their evening walk - and paying particular interest to our food pit with food sracps and everything else they could chew on including our tents. So some of us had to take a short break from dinner and shout at the animals so they didn't chew our tents too much.

The rest of the evening was just enjoying the wonderful spot we had found doing marsh mellows in the camp fire.

Morning exercise - squads and sit ups. Malene, Kate and Alice

Hmmm what's wrong with Mongolian eggs? Not hard boiled after an hour

The waterfall

Our truck in the middle of nowhere

It can be tiring being a baby yak

Alice

Nadaam festival area

Why get of the horse when buying a coke?

Nadaam festival area

When wild camping this is our shower

Checking water level before crossing

Cook group - Autumn

Kate

Goats very interested in our dinner

Alice trying to chase to goats away

Mikkel trying to chase to goats away from his tent

Okay, it's us AND the goats

tirsdag den 7. juli 2015

Bumpy drive to the beautiful Orkhon Valley

Woke up to a beautiful morning. Blue sky with a few clouds. A bit too late though. Malene had set the alarm for 5:45 but we didn't wake up until 6:30. So we missed the morning walk we had planned and instead went straight for the showers. Having a quick shower wasn't too bad since it meant we have time before breakfast to sit outside the Ger. Blog writing when the sun is just coming over the horizon isn't that bad an alternative to walking in the hills.

Today was mostly driving – through the Orkhon Valley heading for Mongolias highest waterfall. First we were off for the practical stuff – food. So we stopped at the local supermarket (good) and the local container market. Malene was in one of the cook groups so she was doing the shopping with the others while Mikkel looked around the market. Looked like so many of the markets we have experienced so far going through central Asia. All the commodities are there including freshly butchered meat which usually arrives in the trunk of a car or simply in the back of a van. Also here in Mongolia.

Then it was off for some bumpy driving through the valley. We had a lunch stop at around 1 pm next to the river. Beautiful spot so those of us not on food duty decided to climb the nearest hill. It turned out to be a quick climb since the weather changed to “wet” so this time we hurried down the slope and headed for dry lunch inside the truck.

We continued driving along the rived looking for a place to cross and eventually made it to a small village where there was a bridge. The truck made it to the other side and we continued until the road ended and camped just before the waterfall. Beautiful evening with sunshine, some cold drinks and later some good food. So perfect sitting there overlooking the river.

After dinner we went to have a look at the next door Mongolian family who were gathering the yak's separating the small calfs from the rest of the herd. Ready for tomorrow's walk to the waterfall.